In the past, a number of patentees have been concerned with the fact that upstanding fixed cleats on the deck of a vessel, provided for the fastening of ropes, lines, fenders and the like, present a very real hazard in that persons walking on the deck may trip over same. Furthermore, items such as nets, fishing lines, and the like tend to become snagged on deck projections such as cleats from time to time. On the other hand, a cleat must be of strong construction and firmly fixed to the deck of the boat in order that it will be able to serve a useful and dependable function, such as is involved in the mooring and towing of boats.
The Hoffman U.S. Pat. No. 1,402,496 specifically designed for submarines to reduce underwater drag and remove a projection that could catch nets, seaweed, etc. taught a disappearing cleat that would move out of sight when not in use, and that device involved a folding arrangement such that the cleat could move 90 degrees between inactive and active positions, leaving an open well which housed the cleat. However, while that cleat could withstand a pull in some directions, it could not withstand a pull in other directions, and in addition, it was expensive as well as cumbersome to use, and in lighter vessels would tend to vibrate.
The Miller U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,805 entitled "Collapsible Cleat" involved a pair of pivoted members that could be individually lifted out of the plane of the deck to meet in a vertical position when use of a cleat was desired, but then at other times these members could return to a flattened position. Unfortunately, this type of cleat could not withstand a hard pull depending as it did on the strength of the pivot point, and in addition, was difficult to move to an active position.
The Lippincott U.S. Pat. No. 3,093,906 entitled "Flush Mounted Cleat" could be moved directly upwardly from a retracted position, but it could not be used with large diameter lines or ropes not only because of its insubstantial construction, but also because of the fact that by its nature, the cleat body could not be moved very far above the deck away from its retracted position. It was to overcome the weaknessess and other disadvantages as well as the expense of these prior art devices that the present invention was created.